SAN FRANCISCO | Barry Bonds’ confident defense team rested its case Wednesday without calling a single witness, just minutes after a federal judge accepted the government’s request to dismiss one of the five counts against the home run king.

Prosecutors called 25 witnesses to the stand over 2 1/2 weeks, but the defense needed just one minute to present its side. The jury of eight women and four men barely had time to get settled in the courtroom before being told to return Thursday morning for closing arguments.

Once indicted on as many as 15 counts, Bonds will face just four charges when the jury starts deliberations in a courthouse less than two miles from the ballpark where he set records for the Giants. A decision could come as early as Friday - when the World Series championship flag is raised in San Francisco for the first time.

The team said Dunn felt discomfort during Kansas City’s 7-6, 12-inning victory Tuesday and was taken to a hospital after the game. The former Nationals first baseman was expected to travel with the team to Chicago after a Wednesday afternoon game.

Dunn is hitting .286 with one home run and needs 45 homers to reach 400. The offseason acquisition signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the White Sox.

The school released a statement saying the shooting occurred Tuesday night in DeKalb. He was transferred to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center in Rockford, about 45 miles away, early Wednesday morning. Coach Dave Doeren, who was at the hospital, says in a statement, “All our thoughts and prayers as a team and as a coaching staff right now are with Devon.”

Butler is a junior from Pembroke Pines, Fla. He was in on 80 tackles - second on the team - and had 4 1/2 sacks last season.

BASKETBALL

LeBron signs Fenway deal, gets share of Liverpool FC

BOSTON | LeBron James is going into business with the Boston Red Sox.

The baseball team’s sister company, Fenway Sports Marketing, says it has signed James to a long-term deal to handle his marketing. As part of the deal, James has obtained a small piece of the soccer team Liverpool in the English Premier League.

FSM is owned by Fenway Sports Group, the parent company of the Red Sox and Liverpool FC and a co-owner of Roush Fenway Racing. FSM handles the marketing for all of them, and now it will handle James, too.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Irving leaving Duke for NBA after 11 games

DURHAM, N.C. | Point guard Kyrie Irving is leaving Duke after one season to enter the NBA draft.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski said in a statement issued Wednesday by the school that Irving plans to hire an agent, ending his college career. Krzyzewski says he is “totally supportive” of Irving and his decision, and said the entire Duke program “is overjoyed with having Kyrie here” for one season.

Irving played only 11 games and missed roughly two-thirds of the season with an injured big toe on his right foot. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists.